“The Tetris effect happens because craving involves imagining the experience of consuming a particular substance or indulging in a particular activity,” said professor Jackie Andrade from Plymouth University.

“Playing a visually-interesting game like Tetris occupies the mental processes that support that imagery. It is hard to imagine something vividly and play Tetris at the same time,” Andrade added.

During the experiment, 31 undergraduates, aged 18-27, were prompted seven times a day via text message to report on any cravings they were feeling.

They were also encouraged to report cravings pro-actively, independently of the prompts.

Fifteen members of the group were required to play Tetris on an iPod for three minutes, before reporting their craving levels again.

“The impact of Tetris on craving was consistent across the week and on all craving types,” said professor Jon May, also from Plymouth University.

As a support tool, Tetris could help people manage their cravings in their daily lives and over extended time periods, researchers said.